TAMIL NADU: UNDERSTANDING THE GAME OF VOTE-BANK CONSOLIDATION

As party leaders and political influencers have taken to the streets of Tamil Nadu for the upcoming assembly elections, we have been seeing more aggressive back and forth between the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliances take place. AIADMK’s ‘Vetrinadai Podum Tamilagam’ (Tamil Nadu marches on victoriously) slogan is one that positions the DMK as one that opposes democracy with violence while DMK president MK Stalin has launched a pro-development, 100 day promise which would take petitions from the citizens and solve major problems within 100 days of being voted to power. In support of these efforts, their national alliance parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) have also taken to the streets. As per our last edition, BJP’s former president Amit Shah was to visit Chennai but was replaced by party president J. P. Nadda who visited Pongal celebrations in Chennai at the same time as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. On the other hand, INC leader Rahul Gandhi kickstarted the party’s campaign via a three day visit to Tamil Nadu aggressively speaking against the BJP and RSS, speaking in favour of the importance of the state’s youth in the future of Tamil Nadu.

While historically, the primary fight in the state has been between the AIADMK alliance and the DMK alliance, BJP’s aim is to disrupt that and become a primary player in the state. This is in line with their strategy in other states as well as they’ve been leaving behind their allies.